1. Field of the Background
The present disclosure generally relates to powered scrubbing devices, and more particularly to portable powered scrubbing devices for use in a wet environment.
2. Description of the Background
Good hygienic habits are important for good health. These habits include the need to clean one's body periodically and/or treat one's skin. The feet are a particular target for dirt, bacteria, and fungi, and can further benefit from exfoliation, i.e., the removal of dead and/or dry skin and calluses. However, feet can be difficult to reach for cleaning and exfoliation, not only by healthy persons, but particularly by persons who are aged, have a disability that limits movement, and/or who cannot care for themselves. Further, certain diseases of the feet, including fungal infections of the skin or nails of the feet, can be treated by scrubbing of the affected area, often with a cleaning agent and/or an antifungal agent. The scrubbing process typically involves greater physical exertion than washing alone, may be difficult for an otherwise healthy person, and may not result in effective treatment or even be feasible by a person of limited physical and/or mental capacity.
Devices have been designed to assist in cleaning one's feet. One such device is disclosed in Logan U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,286, which comprises a series of brushes, some of which are stationary and two of which are rotatable, and which are mounted in a bracket or housing. The brushes extend into a recess that is sized to accept a foot of a user. The device is intended to be used in a wet environment. The user inserts his/her foot into the recess and moves the foot in a back-and-forth motion to rotate the rotatable brushes and thereby scrub portions of the foot. A drawback of this device is that it requires a user to balance on a second foot while moving the foot within the device, which can be dangerous in a wet environment, especially for those who are aged or those who have a disability that limits motion.
Still further devices have been developed to clean one's feet in a shower or bath. These devices include stationary brushes arranged about a recess within which a user may move his/her foot back and forth. When used in a shower, these devices suffer from the same disadvantages as the Logan device noted above. When used in a bath, the user must be sufficiently dexterous to balance within the bath, while moving the foot within the device.
Yet other devices, which are hand-held, have been developed to permit scrubbing and/or exfoliation of one's feet. An example of the latter is the Ped Egg™, which includes a first portion having a series of sharp cutting edges and a second portion having an emery surface.
Another hand-held device designed to assist in cleaning and exfoliating one's feet is a foot sander disclosed in Purifoy et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,970. The foot sander comprises a body member shaped to fit in a user's hand, and a scrubbing head disposed at one end of the body member. A battery in the body member provides power to a motor coupled to the scrubbing head and that is operable to cause the scrubber head to move in an orbital motion. These hand-held devices ignore the at-times significant challenges of having to reach the feet for cleaning.
Devices have been designed to assist in cleaning other parts of the body. One such device is a backscrubber disclosed in Braun U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,132. This device includes scrubbers mounted within a casing recessed within a wall of a shower enclosure. A motor used for powering the scrubbers is located outside of the shower enclosure, and the motor is connected to the scrubbers through a drive line and transmission system located behind the shower wall. Although, this device provides motive power to the brushes, it lacks the benefits of a portable device, and to be used to clean feet.